Last Sky Burns To Nothing
by Shaturz
Summary: Dreams, surpressed powers, and past lives all effect one girl. Severus Snape finds himself amongst it all.


Last Sky Burns To Nothing  
  
Disclaimer: The setting and characters in this story are the property of J.K. Rowling. Veda River Firimire is my creation, along with a few other characters that will appear in later chapters. I give this story an R rating for language, violence, and adult situations. Please be patient, I will add new chapters as I have time. That said; comments and suggestions are welcome. I hope you enjoy.  
  
Shaturz  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter One-Shadows and Blood  
  
"Blood? Its raining blood?" was the thought that passed through Veda's mind at the sight of fat, crimson raindrops falling from the heavens. To her it seemed as though each was falling in slow motion. Millions of red specks suspended in the sky, slowly burning their way toward the earth, "like drops of fire" she whispered to the barren expanse of area around her. Slowly glancing down, Veda observed as the drops kissed the ground. As each touched the cracked, dry dirt, a minuscule dust cloud would rise up around the impact site. She watched as the parched earth absorbed the blood, feeding the dirt. Opening her mouth, Veda began to catch the droplets on her tongue. Blood splattered on her upturned face, leaving streaks as they slid down off of her chin. "The most intimate type of war paint", the thought come unbidden into her mind. "Battle? War? No, I am alone. I am a whisper, a being wrapped in shadows and death. Not created for battle or war, but for hunting." This was her last thought as the world went black and the blood soaked earth swallowed her up.  
  
With a start, Veda woke up. When she felt the solid, frost covered ground underneath her body, and the chill fall wind playing with her hair, she knew that she wasn't in Gryffindor Tower any more. "Not again" she said to her self as she got to her feet. It was night, it was cold, and she was standing in the Forbidden Forest with out a scrap of clothing and no wand. Part of her wasn't concerned about the lack of the wand. Shivering from the chill of the fall breeze, she gazed sky ward, thankful that at least she was in a clearing. After locating the North Star, Veda set course west, the direction that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry lay. "Why do I keep having these dreams?" was her inward plea. "I sincerely hope that I can manage to slip back to my quarters without meeting any resistance. Screw loosing house points, I would rather Filch, or any other professor for that matter not see me naked," Veda savagely shoot at the surrounding shadows. Curious enough, despite the numbing sensation in her limbs, the uneven forest floor, and the apparent lack of concentration she was putting into her trek, Veda was gliding through the trees with the grace and silence of a jungle cat.  
  
Veda wasn't the only resident of Hogwarts in the Forbidden Forest that night. Billowing, black robes enshrouded an imposing figure that was swiftly striding through the very same clearing that the sleepwalking Gryffindor had recently vacated. Severus was in a very foul mood. He had been in attendance, with the rest of the Death Eaters, for a conference with Voldamort. He didn't think that Voldamort suspected him of spying, but the experience was trying on his nerves nonetheless. It was late, and he had a splitting headache. He wanting nothing more then to get back to his quarters, pour himself a stiff brandy, sit by the stove and wait for sleep to claim him. He was also irritated at having to apperate this far from Hogwarts.  
  
Fate, if there is such a thing, often has no consideration of what people want. In this case, Fate could care less about Veda's nakedness, not to mention the fact that she was breaking rules and curfew. For that matter, why would Fate care about Severus Snape's splitting headache and need for sleep. Then again, it seems Fate only occurs when one would least expect or want it. This time Fate took the form of a werewolf.  
  
Veda stop in her tracks, head slightly cock to one side, listening. She was sure that she had just heard howling, and it wasn't the wind. Straining harder, she thought she heard a branch snap. When the bushes in front of her erupted, and a muscled form of fur and fangs exploded from it, she had her answer. Turning on her heel, Veda dashed in the other direction. Part of her mind screaming at her to go back and show that bag of fur how inferior it was. To go back, ripping, shredding, biting, blast it with magic until blood dripped from the leaves and the ground was slick with gore.  
  
Severus momentary stopped. He was sure he had heard a werewolf howling. "Great, just what I need," he thought with a scowl. It sounded like it was coming from a ways in front of him. He readied his wand just in case and continued on his way. Damned if he would let a mangy ball of fur get in his way. Three paces later he was hit full force in the chest. Unbalanced and surprised he fell backwards, striking the hard ground with enough force to knock the breath out of him. He felt something thrashing about, tangled up in his robes. At just that moment he had bigger things to worry about, the werewolf was vaulting over a log right at him. Not hesitating, Severus shouted, "Petrificus Totalus", while aiming his wand at the creature. The werewolf froze in midair, stayed suspended for a fraction of a second until gravity took over, then tumbled to the ground like a tipped over statue. Only then did he turn his attention to what had collided with him. What ever it was had untangled itself, and was attempting to return to a standing position, only to fall back down on him. He grunted at the renewed weight.  
  
"What a perfect night. Just exactly how I envisioned myself spending the evening," Veda sarcastically thought as she dodged trees and leapt over rocks and fallen logs trying to elude the raving werewolf at her heels. "To top it off maybe it will start to." she didn't get to finish because she had contacted rather solidly with an unknown object. What ever it was fell back, taking her with it. She felt her limbs become tangled up in the folds of cloth as she fought to get away. "Fabric, that means clothes, and clothes mean a person has to be wearing them, which means.oh shit!" she connected rather franticly mentally. Whoever it was she heard shout, "Petrificus Totalus", which was shortly followed by the sound of a heavy object solidly smacking the earth. By this time she had managed to free up her arms, and attempted to stand up, only to have her left ankle get caught and twisted in the fabric. She lost what little balance she had and fell in a heap back on the person. This was greeted with a heavy, vary male sounding grunt. Not really wanting to, Veda dared to open her eyes, which grew wider then she thought was possible as they locked with the eyes of the man she lay sprawled on. Only then did she begin to register the amount of trouble that she would be in. She had to run into, of all possible people, Professor Snape, the Potions Master.  
  
Severus managed to push himself back onto his elbows, at the same time glancing up at whoever was laying on top of him. His dark brown, almost black eyes focused on a pair of golden ones. The more his eyes took in, the more his headache split his temples. She was naked. Autumn-leaf- red hair somehow untangled, fell lightly over dusky tinted shoulders. Her frame was small, but wiry muscles played beneath the skin. Pointed, elfish ears stuck out slightly above the top of her head. Of course all of these features were just in observation as Severus Snape absorbed the fact that Veda River Firimire, a 5th year Gryffindor, was looking right back at him.  
  
Swiftly standing up, Severus got back on his feet. Veda, surprised at the sudden movement and still in shock after running into Snape, fell off him and onto the cold ground. She noticed a black Death Eater's mask nearby on the ground. Severus noticed her glancing at his mask and scowled at her while pulling off his robe. "And what do you think you are doing?" Severus sneered at Veda while tossing her his robe. He turned his back, waiting for her to properly clothe herself with it. Severus admitted that he was more then a little surprised to see that the culprit was Miss Firimire. She had always been quiet and seemed to follow the rules, at least as much as any Gryffindor could. As if thinking about Gryffindor reminded him, "50 points from Gryffindor," slipped passed his lips in a sinister, silky voice. Hearing that she had finished donning his robe, Severus turned around. Golden eyes reflecting slightly in the moonlight held mixed expressions of confusion, hurt, and anger. Severus didn't see this because her gaze was directed downward. His robes, tailored for his tall frame, hung on her like heavy drapes. She had also pulled up the hood, completely hiding her body from view. He did notice wisps of vapor coming from the black shadows of the hood. He then realized how cold it was out here now that he was left with only trousers and a long-sleeved shirt. "I'm sorry professor," come forth from the hood in a barley audible whisper. "I don't remember coming out here. I think that must have sleepwalked, or something similar," Veda finished. Snape's scowl deepened. "Lets just get back to the castle so I can decide what to do with you," Snap sneered at her before bending down to pick up the mask, and heading off in the direction she had just ran from. Veda followed close behind. The werewolf hadn't moved form were it had fallen, and was left forgotten.  
  
*As a side note, the title of this story was taken from part of the last line of a poem. The poem is by Michael Williams, and is called "The Dreams of Dragons". This poem is number seven of seven poems that make up the "Seven Hymns of the Dragons". This poem can be found in The Dragonlance book, The Dragons of Kyrnn. 


End file.
